The present invention relates to a bar code printing or reading apparatus comprising a portable terminal and controller unit and a hand-held bar code printer or a bar code reader. Particularly, the invention relates to a bar code printing and/or reading apparatus comprising a hand-held bar code printer supporting the portable terminal and controller unit on the front surface of the printer.
A bar code printing or reading apparatus is used in various management systems utilizing bar code information representing various data. Management systems employing bar code information are used, for example, in small shops or large stores as supermarkets. Labels having bar code indications printed thereon are fixed on articles or goods.
A bar code printing or reading apparatus is required, in some cases, to make a bar code label by printing bar code information, to read bar code information from a bar code label, and to collect and store bar code data obtained by reading bar code information. In other cases, the apparatus is required to read bar code information from bar code labels to obtain bar code data and to store the resultant bar code data. In still other cases, the apparatus is required to transfer the stored data to a host computer. In still further cases, the apparatus is required to make bar code labels or receive bar code signals supplied from a host computer and make bar code labels by printing bar codes based on the received signals.